Auxiliary unit for mining machines



Oct. 27, 1931.

B. w. sNoDGRAss 1,829,549

AUXILIARY UNIT FOR MINING MACHINES Filed Feb. 2, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 27, 1931. B. w. sNoDGRAss 1,829,549

AUXILIARY UNIT FOR MINING MACHINES Filed Feb. 2. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 oct. 27, 1931.

B. W. SNODGRASS AUXILIARY UNIT FOR MINING MACHINES Filed Feb. 2. 1929 3 Sheets-5heet 5 patented @et 27, 1831 UNTED STATES PATENT FFICE BENJAMIN W'. SHOES-RASS, CF DENVER', COLORDO AUXILIARY 'UNT FOR- MNG lYIlCI-IINES rlhis invention relates to auxiliary units or more in pa rticular to a mechanism so designed and. constructed as to attach to or connect with mining machines or other power driven 5 apparatus .to furnish power to drive coal drills and operate expansion loai's adapted for breaking up the coal.

Among trie objects of my invention are to provide a novel construction of auxiliary io units adapted to take power direct from a drive .ieans on the ordinary mining machine or other prime mover; further to provide a construction adapted to drive or operate simultaneously a plurality of coal drills at any desired angle from the unit, or drive siniultaneously a plurality of coal breaking inachines or expanding hars; further to provide a novel construction iii which the power taireoif is practically universal in both planes; i. e. both in the plane of the pivot of the mining machine and any plane perpendicular to it passing 'through the vertical axis; further to provide a novel construction of mechanism that can be applied to any of the standard short wall coal cutting machines; further to provide a novel construction of clutch mechanism; further to provide a novel construction of maximum simplicity, efficiency, econ omy and ease of operation; and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will Vlater more fully appear.

My invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while I have shown therein a preferred embodiment, I desire it to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change Without departing from the spirt of my invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a. top plan view of my new and novel construction.

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a View in perspective of the cam piece.

Fig. l is a view in perspective of my novel construction of dental clutch.

ce Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the bevel gear and disclosing the novel construction of the hub.

Fic'. t3 is a i'ragment-ary view in perspective of the notched hub of the main gear.

Referring more particularly to the draw- .u ings, the numeral 1 designates generally the outer casing of a` mining machine, the same being provided with an upstanding shaft 2 upon which is mounted a pinion 3. The pinion 3 meshes with and rotates the main i, 0 gear l, the pinion 3 causing the main gear to revolve at all times the mining machine or other prime mover is ruiming. The main gear rotates in the casing or pan 5 which is provided with a central raised portion 6 and shaft or boss 7, the side wall 8 of this casing or pan being provided at its upper ,portion with. an annular plate 9.

rflic main gear 4 is provided with a central upstanding port-ion 1G provided with a plu- ,..0 rality of grooves or notches 11. Mounted inwardly of the raised portion or annular flano'e 10 of the main Oear is a huh 12 of a n C bevel rear 13. This bevel Wear is further 'provided with an upstanding portion 14 hav- 75 ingl a plurality of notches or grooves 15 and openings 15a.

A dental clutch 16 is provided with a plurality of teeth 17 hav'- inwardly extending portions 18 and downwardly extending ,80 portions 18, on its under surface. and al pair of follower pins 19 on its upper surface. These follower pins 19 travel in the groove or cam surface 20 of a cam piece 21, this cam piece being adapted to seat wit-hin the ,8, portion 22 of the dental clutch, whenever the pins 19 ride upon the uppermost portion 23 of the cani surface 20. The clutch or raising cam 21 is adapted to be turned by means of an arm or handle 2&1-, t-he turning of which is 90 done by the operator by hand.

The dental clutch, bevel gear and main gear are so constructed as to interconnect, the inwardly extending portions 18 of the teeth 17 are adapted to fit into the radial o5 grooves 15, while the downwardly extending portions 18a of the teeth extend through the openings 15a of the bevel gear 12, and fit into notches 11 in the hub of the main gear fl. Thus when the dental clutch, bevel Y cam is rotated at a 90D angle so that the follubricant reservoir.

lower pins rest in the uppermost portion 23 of the cam surface 20, the teeth of the dental clutch clear thev notches in both gears, 'anc although the main gear is rotated continu' ously, the bevel gear 13 does not rotate since it is out of engagement withthe main gear.

A bushing 25 is pressed to the hub of the main gear and provides a tight fit between the hub of the main gear-and thef'hub of the bevelgear, although this fit does not provide for rotation of the gears in unison unless they are connected through themedium of. the dental clutch. A bushing 26 is pressed to the stub shaft Tof the casing or machi -e pan 5, around which the bevel 13, dental iclutchand clutch cam may be rotated.

The bevelgear 13 meshes with and rotates.

a plurality of double faced bevel mitre pinions 29, each of which pinions in turn rotate a mitre union pinion 30, the hub of which is provided with a hollow square core 31 adapted'to receivethe square end of a telescopic shaft, such as from a drill or expanding bar. TEach pinion '29 is rotatably mounted uponk a sleeve or bushing 32 on the shaft 33.- 'Arms 31lrbeing the inner end of shafts 33, are swingably mounted on the shaft 7 so as to support them on their inner ends.\ Bearings 35 are mounted on an ar'- cuate bracket orv plate'36 connectible with the plate 9 on the top of the casing or machine pan 5. Pins 37 key the shafts 33 to the bearings 35 and prevent rotation of the shafts. vBrackets 33 are provided at one end vwith a bearing 39 for each shaft 33, while the oth'erends .are provided with a bearing 40 encompassing the hub of the pinions 3.

. The pan shaft 7 is hollow and provides a The shaft 7 is inter-V nallythreaded through approximately onehalf its length, and .is provided with a threaded plug 41 providing means for conipensating for any yloss in lubricant. By

screwing theplug into the shaft 7, the lubri cant the reservoir may at all times be under compression so as to thoroughly lubricate the parts accessiblev from the reservoir. A tap i-2 screws into the lower portion of the casingor pan shaft 7, and allows for ready access to the lubricant .reservoir for draining the same, etc. A .pipel43'allows for the ready lubrication of the bearing'surface of the main gear 4. f Y The clutch mechanism is simple and positive in operation. rlhe longer teeth 18a engage the slots in the hub of the main gear 4, whilethe shorter teeth 18 engage the slots in the bevel gear 13, the longer teeth pa-ssing between the spokes of the bevel gear.

The raising of the clutch proper is done by the cam surface 20 contacting with the fixed "claim jdistance for lifting the longer teeth 18a from their positions in the holes or openings 11 in the main gear hub. The bevel gear 13, clutch andthe remaining parts actuated by the bevel gear stop rotating, while the main gear and the pinion 3 rotatewith the prime mover or driving means, it being understood thatV such main gear and pinion rotate at all times `duringthe operation of such driving mechanism. `rlhus the primary function of v the clutch is to transmit power from the hub of the main gearto the hub of thebevel gear through the medium of thefclutch teeth. All that it takes to stop the bevel gear. 13 is Y for the operator to revolve the cam piece by means of the handle 24 a quarter turnA which rai-ses the teeth 13t fromtheir engagement withthe main gear. f n

The primary purpose of my construction is to drive simultaneously av plurality of coal drills, expanding bars, or the like, at any desired angle from this unit. Although I have shown three bevel mitre pinions and their power transmitting means, itr is to be understood that any number may be used as desired. may be positioned vat any desired angleor Also these transmitting means position on tlieplate 9 of the machine'pan or casing. Y v

From the above disclosure, it will be seen that l have provided a novel construction of auxiliary units which may be readily and economically connected to any of the present mining machines or other prime movers and whichV may operate a plurality of mine working tools.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I

1. Au auxiliary unit adapted to-v be connected to a mining machine, comprising a casing having a projecting boss, a driving gear havinga hub around said boss, and a driven gear having a hub mounted for rotation within the hub kof said driving gear and about said boss. i l

2. An auxiliary unit adapted to be connected to a mining machine, comprising a cas ing having a projecting boss, a driving gear having a hub around said boss, a driven gear having a hub mounted for rotation within the hub of said driving gear and about said boss, and a clutch for interconnecting said gears so that the same may rotate together.

3. An auxiliary u-nitrcon'unising a casing having an upwardly' projecting boss, a gear driven by a source of power and projecting through an opening into said casing, a gear in said casing driven by saidfirst gear and having a .hub aroundv saidA boss, and another 'gear driven by said second gear having a hub mounted for rotation within the hub of said second gear and about said boss.

d. An auxiliary unit comprising a casing having an upwardly projecting boss, a gear driven by a source of power and projecting through an opening into said casing, a gear in said casing meshing with said first gear and having a hub around said boss, another gear mounted for rotation within the hub of said second gear and around said boss, and means for interconnecting said last mentioned gear with said second gear.

Jin ausili-ary unit adapted to be connected to a mining machine, comprising a casing havin@ a central raised portion, a boss project' upwardly from said portion, a driving ear having a hub mounted on said portion and about said boss, and a second gear having a hub mounted on said raised portion and aro` ad said boss and rotatable within the hub of s; 'd driving gear, and means for connecting sind gears together.

(l. in auxiliary unit adapted t be connected to a mining machine, comprising a casing having an upwardly projecting' boss, a driving gear having a hub around said boss, a driven having a hub mounted Jfor rotaiub of said dri ving gear and and a clutch slidable on said provmed with teeth for connecting said driving and driven gears. Y

T. in auxiliary unit adapted to be connectcd to a mining machine, comprising a casing having an upwardly projecting boss, a driving and a driven gear mounted for rotation about said boss, and a clutch slidable on said boss and adapted to engage said gears whcrebj; said gears are connected together'.

8. :in auxiliary unit adapted to be connected to a mining machine, comprising a casing having` an upwardly projecting boss, a driving and a driven gear mounted Jfor rotation about said boss, a clutch movable on said boss adapted to engage with said gears for connect-ino' them together, and a cam piece mounted on said boss for moving said clutch into and out of engagement with said gears.

9. A n auxiliary unit adapted to be connected to a mining machine, comprising a casing having an upwardly projecting boss, a driving and a driven gear mounted :tor rotation about said boss, a clutch movable on said boss and adapted to engage with said gears for connecting them together, a cam piece mounted on said boss and having' cam grooves there- 'L and means connected to said clutch and engaging in said grooves whereby said clutch is moved into and out ot engagement with said gears upon movement of said cam piece.

10. :in auxiliary unit adapted to be connected to a mining machine, comprisinga casing having an upwardly projecting boss, a driving and driven gear mounted for rotation about said boss, and means driven by said driven gear for operating a mining tool, said means including a` shaft mounted on said casing and having-anA arm mounted on said boss.

11. An auxiliary unit adapted to be connected toa mining machine, comprising a casing having an upwardly projecting boss, a driving and driven gear mounted tor rotation about said boss, and means driven by said driven gear for operating a mining tool, said means including a shaft mounted on said casing and having an arm mounted on said boss, a gear mounted on said shaft and meshing with said driven gear, and a .second gear meshing' with the gear on said shatt for operating a mining tool.

12. An auxiliary unit adapted to be connected to avmining machine, comprising a casing having an upwardly projecting boss, a driving' and driven gear mounted tor rotation about said boss, and means driven by said driven gear tor operating a mining tool means including shaft mounted on said casing, a gear mounted on said shaft and meshing with said driven gear, a bracket secured to said shatt, and a second gear mounted on said bracket and meshing with the gear on said shaft tor operating a mining tool.

13. An auxiliary unit adapted to be. connected to a mining machine, comprising a casing having an upwardly projecting boss.

a driving and driven gear mounted tor rotation about said boss, and means mounted on said casing and driven by said driven gear 'tor operating a mining tool, said means being swingably mounted on said boss.

14. An 4auxiliary unit adapted to be connected to a mining machine, comprising a casing having a hollow upwardly projecting boss, a driving and driven gear mounted for rotation about said boss, and closure means for said hollow boss Jtor holding a lubricant therein, said boss having openings there through for lubricating said gears.

l5. An auxiliary unit adapted to be connected to a mining machine, comprising a casing having an upwardly projecting boss,

said boss having a longitudinal opening therethrough for retaining a lubricant therein, closure means for said opening, a driving and driven gear mounted for rotation about said boss, said boss having openings therethrough Y `1 taining a lubricant therein, closure means for 11;:

said opening, a driving and driven gear mounted on said portion and about said boss, said boss having openings for passage ot the lubricantto said gears.

17. rin auxiliary unit adapted to bc connected to mining machine, comprising a casing having a raised portion and an upwardly projecting boss, said boss having a longitudinal openingtherethrough for hold- Y i ing a lubricant, closure means for said openv ing, a driving gear having a hub-mounted upon saidportion and about said boss, and I Y a driven gear having a hub mounted Within the hub of said driving gear and around sai-d ff w lf boss, .said boss having openings for passage of the lubricant .to the ,clearancel spaces between saidrgears, the hub of said driven gear and boss, and said gear hubs andy raised por- Jcion. Y

18. An auxiliary unit adapted to be connected to Va mining machine, comprising ya lcasing having a raisedportion and anup- Y wardly projecting boss,y said'boss having a Y longitudinal openingtherethrough for holdl-lf ing a lubricant, closurev means for said opening, a driving gear'having a Yhub mounted upon said. portion and'about said boss, a i driven gear having a hub mounted Within Jche hub of said driving gear and around said boss, said boss having openings for passage of the lubricant to the clearance spaces between 4said gears, the hub of said `driven gear and boss, and said gear hubs and raised portion, the hub of said driving gear having an opening therethrough, and means communi- 'eating with said opening for passage-of said lubricant to the teeth of said gear. In Witness WhereoffI hereunto subscribe Y my name to this'specification. Y

BENJAMIN W. VSl\TODGrRASS. 

